Casting News: Hugh Laurie, Russell Brand, Jeff Foxworthy, and DeRay Davis

In tonight’s edition of casting news Hugh Laurie joins Mr. Pip, Russell Brand will rock along side Tom Cruise in Rock of Ages, Jeff Foxworthy gets cast in Crackerjack, and DeRay Davis moves to 21 Jump Street.

House actor Hugh Laurie is set to play in Andrew Adamson’s adaptation of the Lloyd Jones novel Mr. Pip. Laurie will play Mr. Watts, a schoolteacher whose student finds an imaginary friend in the character of Pip from the novel Great Expectations. (Variety)

Fresh off his top two ranking films at the box office last weekend, Russell Brand is now confirmed to have a role in Rock of Ages. Director Adam Shankman confirmed the long-rumored casting himself, posting the following on his Twitter page:

I can officially announce Russell Brand as your Lonny in #rockofagesmovie ! I see a mullet in his future…maybe a Nikki Six?

Brand joins a cast that includes Tom Cruise, Mary J. Blige, Julianne Hough, Diego Bonet and Alec Baldwin.

Jeff Foxworthy has been cast in a supporting role in the sports comedy Crackerjack. The actor and comedian will also act as executive producer for the film as well. Now shooting in Savannah, GA under writer/director Bryan Coley, the film is officially described as follows:

In the off-beat style of Raising Arizona, the story follows Bo “Crackerjack” Bailey, Jr. (CJ), an artful dodger skilled in avoiding the responsibilities of manhood. His residence of choice is a trailer, his ambitious career entails collecting Cabbage Patch dolls to sell on eBay, his venture into commitment is a four-year, pseudo-engagement to live-in girlfriend Sherry, and through it all, he immerses himself in his drug of choice: softball. But when Sherry learns she’s pregnant and leaves until he can figure out how to be the real man she needs, CJ vows to become an upright, church-going man and give up softball. That is, until he finds out about – the Church League. And it’s not always crystal clear just what Jesus would do…much less what CJ should do to be a man, on or off the field. (Variety)

Finally DeRay Davis will star as Domingo, a leader of a drug dealing bike gang in Columbia Picture’s big screen adaptation of 21 Jump Street. Davis joins Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube and Brie Larson in the action comedy from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs writers/directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller. (Variety)